The Same Mistake Pandora Made
by Red Bess Rackham
Summary: Every once in a while, something comes along that you know is a mistake. But it is a mistake you have to make. James/Bellatrix. For absolutelybatty.


**Disclaimer:** Insert witty comment about not owning the rights to things.

**A/n:** I've been working on my entry for a Bang (writing contest), and then a friend told me about this LJ community called **rarepair_shorts**. I was inspired and wrote this for _absolutelybatty_. The prompt was _James Potter/Bellatrix Black-Lestrange, Male Angel/Female Demon, Devil in Plain Sight_. Never written James/Bellatrix before either, so this was an experiment! Timeline is very slightly AU, as it's set late seventh year and James and Lily are not together. Also, I have to note, I for some reason haven't written for Harry Potter in so long! And it's very weird that of all things to re-enter the fandom with, I come up with this. ;P

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><p><strong>The Same Mistake Pandora Made<strong>

Every once in a while, something comes along that you know is a mistake. You know it immediately, know it deep down, know it is wrong. But you also know, just as certainly, that you _have_ to try it. That it's a mistake you _have _to make, that the curiosity or the hunger or whatever it is will not go away until you've made this mistake.

And so it is with her.

She is wrong for him in every single way. He knows what she's like, what she's done and what she believes in. His best friend has told him stories from family gatherings long past, and then there's the active grapevine that circulates with unsavory rumors.

She is not someone he could ever hang out with, be friends with – hell, be _civil_ to, he thinks. She's Slytherin, he's Gryffindor, she's signed up to be a Death Eater (if those rumors are in fact true) while he plans to train to become an Auror – probably join the Order of the Phoenix. And the differences go on.

For all his pranks and flaws, rule-breaking and such, he thinks he's still a good person – certainly he's come a long way in terms of maturity, even from a few short years ago. She, on the other hand, is as far from being good as he thinks a girl could get. And he's never been one to be attracted to the "bad" girl – not usually, anyway.

Still, even knowing all that, it doesn't stop her from being on his mind at all hours. It doesn't stop him from glancing her way a little too often (alright, _a lot_ too often if he's being honest). It certainly doesn't stop himself from imagining what those painted lips would taste like.

Perhaps it's that whole _forbidden fruit _thing – the one thing you know is bad for you, the one thing you cannot have, only makes you want it more.

She notices, of course. Catches him staring more than once, smirks a little when she passes him in the corridor. Makes it worse by somehow being even more captivating and riveting than before. Starts returning his gaze across the classroom with a hungry glint in her heavy-lidded eyes.

She's just like the devil in the Garden of Eden, he thinks, drawing him closer, and making him want that piece of fruit even more. He sometimes wonders if she's doing this to anyone else – making them feel completely mad whenever she's in the room, or if it is just him. Or maybe she's not the devil, but a Venus fly trap, or a black widow spider, drawing her prey in before she devours it.

She's a mistake – he_ knows _that. He spends day after day telling himself this, that starting anything will not end well, that it would be like opening Pandora's box and unleashing something that was meant to stay locked away...

Then comes Slughorn's Christmas Party. His best friend invites him so he can see Lily Evans, and he takes extra care with his appearance, mentally assuring himself that it's all so he can impress Lily. His friends tease him, certain that if he hasn't impressed Evans by now he never will, and he laughs along. When he's at the party, he can't help but notice the moment _she_ enters the room – the black widow spider, the snake in Eden. Her long dark hair tumbles around bare shoulders and the dress is long, crimson red. It's extremely flattering and though not terribly low cut or revealing, she somehow manages to scream seduction with every casual and deceptively innocent motion. It's all he can do not to openly stare with his mouth agape, heart racing with desire.

After roughly two hours of mingling, it's apparent she's playing a little game with him. Walks close, brushes by, shoots him a lusty glance or arrogant smile. He's using every ounce of his self-control to remain calm and laugh with his friends, but she's getting to him, and then it's increasingly hot in the crowded room. Sweat is beading on his forehead and after making some hasty excuse, he escapes and rushes down the cool, darkened hallway to catch his breath.

And of course, she follows.

"What do you want?" he snaps, loosening his collar. He's furious she affects him so, ashamed of his low self-control. He's torn between snogging her and punching her.

"Please, Potter," she tosses her hair. "As if you don't know. It should be plenty obvious by now." She saunters forward, her voice like poison and honey. "Or maybe the question should be: what do _you_ want?"

She is mere inches away and her smell is just as intoxicating as he imagined it would be. He reminds himself of her reputation, of their vast differences, of so much more, and there's a voice telling him to walk away and collect himself before he does anything rash.

Because this is the moment: the one where he knows with a deep, unshakeable certainty that this is a mistake. That is wrong in every way, that it will only end badly, that -

But it is a mistake he just _has _to make.

So James grabs Bellatrix's shoulders and his lips smash onto hers like he's been craving, like it's the only kiss he's ever had or ever will have. She kisses him back, all fierce and intense. It's rough and entirely lust as they stumble into a dark corner, hands flying everywhere. She's leaving nail marks and he's leaving bruises...

Later, when they're straightening clothes and she's grinning in a really unsettling way, he has a pretty good idea of how Pandora felt when she opened that box.

**-end-**

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><p><strong>An:** Well, there you have it. I've written down a ton of other request for the Summer Wishlist Challenge at rarepair_shorts and hope to complete a few more - and of course complete my Bang. *faints* Thanks for reading, and reviews appreciated immensely! :)_  
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